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admitted to this fchool, takes place once a year at Paris, whence they repair to Metz. Their number is limited to twenty. Their employment in the polytechnic school, and the effential object of their inftruction, is the acquifition of theoretic knowledge refpecting the conftruction of all kinds of works in fortification, mines, countermines, difpofitions for the attack and defence of towns, the drawing of plans, and all the minutiae of the fervice of engineers in fortified places and in armies. The pupils at Metz have the rank and pay of fub-lieutenants.

The fchool of bridges and roads, under the direction of the minifter for the home departiment. The pupils, whofe number is limited to thirty, are taken from the polytechnic fchool. A collection of models, relating to the conftruction of highways, bridges, canals, and fea-ports, is annexed to this fchool. The inftruction in it comprehends the application of all the phyfical and mathematical principles connected with the planning and conftruction of all the various works of this kind, as well as to the estimates and calcula

tions of fuch works.

The geographic fchool, under the authority of the minifter for the home department. It confifts of twenty pupils taken from the polytechnic fchool. Their examination turns on their preliminary knowledge-the mathematics, their ap plication, and especially geometrical aftronomy, trigonometry, and the art of drawing maps. Their principal employment in this fchool is directed to geogra phic and topographic operations, and the calculations neceffary for carrying them into execution. The inftruction is divided into two branches,-the opera tions in the field, and the labour in the cabinet. To the first belong geometrical measurements, the furvey of the ground, and astronomic obfervations; to the fecond, all the conclufions, defcriptions, the drawing of maps, and trigonometric calculations. The geographer PRONY is at the head of this inftitution.

The School of naval engineers.-Under this denomination has been preferved the former school of engineer-builders, newly organised. The pupils must have received at least one year's inftruction in the polytechnic fchool. The choice of them depends on the progrefs they have made in the principles of defcriptive geometry, of mechanics, and of the other branches which conftitute the bafis of the firft year's courfe in that fchool. In the

school of naval engineers, they are perfected in the knowledge of the conftruction of fhips both for war and commerce. It is under the direction of Borda, a naval character. The pupils are allowed a yearly maintenance of fifteen hundred livres*.

The fchool of navigation, under the direction of the minifter of the marine department.--The two former fchools-the hydrographic and mathematic-destined for military and mercantile navigation, have been united in one. There ftill exift two other schools for mercantile navigation, the one at Arles, the other at Morlaix.

The marine fchools, at Breft, Toulon, and Rochefort, under the authority of the minifter of the marine department.-The pupils are not admitted into these fchools until previously examined in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, ftatics, and navigation. In each of those three ports, is annually equipped a corvette, which frequently puts out to fea, runs along the coaft, is dismantled, and rigged anew. Every thing which concerns the equipment and management of thips, and naval military manoeuvres, is the object of the inftruction given in these excellent fchools.

DESCRIPTION OF MALTA.

[The following valuable article refpecting an Iland which has always attracted the attention of mankind, and which has lately become a very interefting fubject of political fpeculation, has been communicated to us by a gentleman whose opportunities of collecting original information are confiderable, and who has combined with his own materials thofe of all the writers who have had occafion to defcribe it.]

(Continued from page 48.)

ESIDES the two cities before menB tioned, Malta contains twenty-two villages, (five of which the inhabitants alfo, though improperly, term cities), and

the whole island is in a manner covered over with neat country and farm-houses, Every village contains a noble church, elegantly finished, and adorned with statues of marble, rich tapestry, and a large quantity of filver plate. They are, in fact, by much the handfomest country churches to be feen in any part of Europe. The villages are all, or most of them, in the eaftern part of the island: the farm-houfes are in the western part.

621. 1os. fterling.

In the interior of the ifland are two cafals, or country-houses, of the ci-devant Grand Masters. In one of thefe, St. Anthony, lying between Valetta and Civita Vecchia, they had of late years cut down a fhady grove of old orangetrees, and in its place formed a parterre or flower-garden in the French tafte, and which was reckoned here a very great curiofity. Contiguous to this is the villa of the General of the Gallies. Thefe edifices are neither of them great or magnificent; but they are admirably well adapted to a hot climate, by the defirable fhade of fine orange-groves which they afford, and other contrivances. In the other cafal, called the Bofquetta, or the Caftle of Mount Verdalle, was a park well ftored with Corfican ftags and Iceland deer; and the inenagerie (which in this climate would preferve the animals of any country) contained fome gazels, which are accounted the handfomeft, fwifteft, and most delicate of all quadrupeds: their eyes represent the gallant comparisons of oriental lovers while celebrating the beauty of their miftreffes; their motions are aftonishingly agile, and their legs are fo very flender, that the beholder is conftantly afraid of their breaking. The castle, or palace, exhibits nothing particular, except the furniture, which is three or four hundred years old, and carved in the most Gothic ftyle ima. ginable: the Grand Mafter, however, feldom or never refided here. The profpect from the top of it is celebrated as very fine. What they call a foret, in the vicinity, and their annual hunt in it, do not merit thofe names, there being only a few fcattered trees hereabouts: it is, however, the only thing like a wood in the island. This wood is fituated in a well-watered valley, and tends greatly to relieve the eye, fatigued with the aridity of the furrounding landscape. The falconry at the foot of the valley is a delightful place, and the only wild and rural retreat by which the Maltese can form any analogous idea of the forefts of other countries. The old large orangetrees, which grow thereabouts, are watered by ftreams which flow from plentiful fprings, and diffufe a freshnefs the more grateful, as water is fcarcer and more defirable in that quarter than in other places.

The rest of the island, or what they call the country, fcarcely deferves the appellation; for it feems almoft as well covered with buildings as the cities and villages: it also appears fortified in a remarkable

manner by their large continued white walls, which hold up or incafe what little earth is on the ifland, as well as what is fabricated there; for by grinding small the foft rock, and mixing it with what earth they have, filling the bottom with the beft of it, and watering the whole, the induftrious natives have formed a foil well calculated for cultivating cotton, and the other produce of their country. Here are alfo ditches of a vast fize, with baftions, all cut out of the folid rock, and extending many miles into the island. Thefe great works, which have been expedited by their fituation, require no other repair but a finall cement applied to the natural crevices of the ftone.

The drefs and ornaments of the Maltefe peafants, or farmers, are extremely light. They wear long breeches, a blue linen fhirt, and a broad fash, and leave their arms and feet entirely naked. In the cities, their_coftume is nearly the fame as in Italy. Their features are as completely Arabian as their language, which laft, however, is rather a kind of dialect of the Arabian, and is reprefented by fome writers as a rude jargon, without rules and without orthography: it is alfo intermixed with fome remains of the Phoenician, or Carthaginian, the Greek, the Spanish, and the Italian. In the towns the Italian is commonly fpoken. Their manners ftill retain the traces of their Arabian conquerors, and their character feems compounded of the characters of the different nations to which they have been fucceffively fubject. Interested and careful in their bargains, they are fcrupulously exact in fulfilling every engagement, by which means commercial intercourfe with them is at once fafe and easy.

Their women, as in the Levant and among the eastern nations, are exempted from labour of every kind, which is performed by the men, even to the most trifling occupation of houshold work. From a custom prevailing here, that in their marriage contracts the women take care to have a claufe inferted, obliging their husbands to conduct them to the different feftivals celebrated in the island every year: it feems as if the liberty which they enjoy is extremely reftrained. The fair fex here, being limited to the fole department of pleasure, are justly reckoned beautiful; they have as fair a skin and fine complexions as the inhabitants of the north, with all the impaffioned expreffion of the Orientals; they have almost all, large eyes, with long eye-lids, under which love feems to lie in ambush, and though

under

under a burning fky, their beauty, which is neither Grecian nor majeftic, but rather languishing and modeft, is not the lefs feducing on that account. The country women are generally faithful to their hufbands; but the city ladies can no more refift the gold of the bailies, than the love-fick fighs of the youthful knights; and therefore the utmoft licentioufnefs of military celibacy prevails here. Elegance and neatnefs characterife their drefs, furniture, &c. and they fhave like the men, but lo artfully and dexteroufly, (this voluptuous operation is performed with broken glafs), that a stranger must be very near to difcover the effect of this practice.

Perhaps Malta was the only country in the world where duelling was authorifed by law. They had laid it, however, under fuch reftrictions as greatly to diminish its danger. The duellifts are obliged to decide their quarrel in one particular ftreet of the city, and were, moreover obliged, under the moft fevere penalties, to put up their words, when ordered fo to do, by a woman, a prieft, or a knight. A crofs was always painted on the wall oppofite to the fpot where a knight had been killed, and between twenty and thirty of thefe croffes were to be counted there about a dozen years ago. The police, however, was much better regulated here than in the neighbouring countries, affaffinations and robberies being very uncommon.

fel

The only kind of vehicle the island affords, is coaches drawn by one mule each. The horfe-races here are of a very fingular kind, being performed in the ancient Numidian manner, without either faddle, bridle, whip, or fpur; and yet the horfes run at full fpeed, and afford abundance of diversion. They are commonly accuftomed to the ground for fome weeks before, and although the course is entirely over rocks and pavement, it is very dom that any accidents are known to take place. They have races of affes and mules, performed in a fimilar manner, four times every year, with this difference, that the rider is allowed an inftrument like a fhoemaker's awl, to prick on his courfer if he is tardy. The affes here have long been famous for their ftrength and fize, and it appears that the Romans fet a high value on the long haired dogs of this ifland, the fpecies of which is now degenerated. It is a ingular fact, that no venomous creatures are to be found in Malta, and vipers, which have been brought there from Sicily, expired almoft inftantly on their arrival.

In fair weather, one half of Mount Etna uray be clearly difcovered from Malta, although the diftance is computed at nearly 200 Italian miles. In the great eruptions of that mountain, the whole ifland is illuminated, and from the reflection in the water, there appears a great track of fire in the fea all the way frony Malta to Sicily. The thunder of the mountain is likewife diftin&tly heard*.

The fortifications of Malta, both natural and artificial, are indeed a most stupendous work. Two thirds of its coaft (on the other extremity of the ifland, oppofite to the northern coaft of Valetta), are lined with rocks, fteep and pointed; and as this rock extends in continuity for feveral miles, and is abfolutely perpendicular from the fea, befides being of an enormous height, Malta may be confidered as inacceffible on that fide, being fo completely fortified by nature, that nothing is left for art to fuperadd↑.

In other places, where the coaft is more acceffible, it is defended by an infinite number of fortifications. The rock, in many places, has been floped into the form of a glacis, with ftrong parapets, intrenchments and batteries running behind it, fo as to render a landing, if not altogether impracticable, yet extremely dangerous.

There is one particular kind of ordnance, invented by the Maltefe, which excites the amazement of ftrangers, and is unknown to all the world befides. The

* During the month of June, or for fome weeks before and after our Midfummer, the weather at Malta is perfectly clear and ferene, without a cloud in the hemifphere; the beauty of the fetting fun alfo is much fuperior to what is obferved in Italy, or indeed any other country; and for fome time after funfet, the whole of the eastern part of the heavens exhibit a most beautiful appearance, being that of a fine rich deep purple. The western hemifphere is the true yellow glow of Claude Lorrain, fo much admired by connoiffeurs. This phenomenon very generally takes place at the above feafon of the year. The weather, however, is not intolerably hot, as the thermometer commonly stands between 75 and 76.

It is very fingular, that on this fide there are fill the veftiges of feveral ancient roads, with the tracks of carriages worn deep the precipice with the fea beneath, and feem in the rocks; thefe roads are terminated by to indicate that this ifland has in former ages been of much larger extent than it is at prefent. The convulfion, however, that occaioned its diminution, appears to be much beyond the reach of any history or tradition.

rocks

rocks here are not only fcarped into fortifications, but likewife into fire-engines or artillery to defend those fortifications; being hollowed out in many places into the form of immenfe mortars. Thefe mortars they fill with cantars of cannonballs, fhells, ftones, and other deadly materials; and if an enemy's fhip fhould approach with a defign to land, they fire the whole into the air: the effect of this tremendous invention must be very great, as it will produce a fhower for 2 or 300 yards round, that would quickly fink any veffel, and make a dreadful havock amongst a debarkation of boats. A cantar is about a hundred pound weight; and as the mouths of fome of the mortars are fix feet wide, they will throw, according to calculation, a hundred cantars each.

In the acceffible parts of the coaft, there are feveral commodious harbours, bays, and anchoring grounds, all of which (as already obferved) are defended by towers, forts, and other works; but the great or main harbour of Valetta has been fo admirably formed by nature in point of depth, extent, fecurity, and commodioufnels, that it seems even beyond the power of art to improve it; it is alfo fo well defended by its fituation and by works which have been added to it for more than 200 years paft, that it may be confidered as almoft impregnable against any attack either by fea or land.

The port, properly fpeaking, confifts of two harbours; that on the S. E. fide of the city is the principal one, and by much the most frequented. It runs about two miles into the heart of the island, and is fo very deep, and furrounded by fuch high grounds and fortifications, that the largest fhips of war may ride in it, almoft without a cable. This beautiful bafon is fubdivided into five distinct harbours, all equally fafe, and each capable of containing an immenfe number of fhipping. The entrance is very narrow, being fcarcely a quarter of a mile broad, and is commanded by a strong caftle on each fide, with batteries that would tear the strongest ship in pieces before fhe could poffibly enter. Befides this, it is fronted by the caftle of St. Angelo, where a quadruple battery has been planted, one above the other, the largest of which is level with the water's edge; the platforms are mounted with about eighty of their heaviest artillery. In feveral others of the works are fimilar ranges of batteries; an advantage naturally arising from the rock on which they are constructed, and MONTHLY MAG. No. XLII.

from which the firing must be attended with the greateft effect. Indeed, the fort of St. Michael (a very well-built place, croffed by two large and elegant streets, with other leffer ones croffing them), and the castle of St. Angelo, (which two fortreffes are erected on the point of the two peninfulas, which inclofe what is called the Grand Port, or the principal of the five fubdivifions of the main harbour), would alone keep in fafety the navy of the ifland, even thould an enemy's fleet prove fuccefsful in forcing the citadels of St. Elmo and Ricafoli, which defend the

entrance.

The harbour on the north fide of the city, called Marfa Mufcet, although chiefly reforted to for fishing, and as a place of quarantine, would, in any other part of the world, be confidered as ineftimable. It is likewife defended by very strong fortifications, (particularly Fort Manoel, the latest and most finished work about Valetta, fituated on a peninfula); and in the centre of the bafon is an ifland, on which they have erected a fort and a lazaretto. At the entrance of this harbour, oppofite St. Elmo, is the point of Dragut; fo named from the vice-roy of Algiers, who landed here during the fiege of Malta, under the reign of the Turkish emperor, Solyman, while Valetta was Grand Master.

(To be concluded in our next.)

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

'SIR,

OBSERVE in your Magazine for laft month another letter from Mr. Woob of Shrewsbury, of which I am once more made the subject; but which is written in a ftyle fo very querulous and invective, that nothing but an allowance, and a very liberal one too, for that irritability which even a worthy man will fometimes feel at being compelled to relinquish opinions he has long and fondly foftered, can entitle to any reply whatsoever.

The original dispute between us may now be regarded as completely terminated: for, of the two errors of this gentleman which I fo unfortunately noticed in my "Differtation on the Poor," the one he has fully acknowledged, and the other is rendered felf-evident by a comparifon with other facts of a fimilar nature which Mr. WOOD has elsewhere advanced; and by his continuing to with-hold thofe data, if indeed they be in his poffeffion, on which the controverfy entirely refts.

е

With

have now,

With respect to the former, which relates to the comparative mortality, or rather the fuperiority of life enjoyed by infants at the Shrewsbury Houle of Induftry, during their first month, beyond what occurs in every other part of the world, and in violation of the accustomed laws of nature, Mr. WooD declares, in the letter before us, that the fecretary was inaccurate, and negligent in his accounts," and believes it poffle that he did not keep a correct register of the deaths of infants within this period. I therefore, no farther contention with him on this point; and can readily excufe the tendernels which he still manifefts for his former opinion, by afferting that "the mortality of their children has, nevertheless, been remarkably fmall, and much less than in the old workhouses, or among the poor of the town in their own houfes." For all this I can give him full credit; and have no doubt but much of the falubrity of the House of Industry proceeds from his own very laudable and unremitted attention. It would have been more fatisfactory, however, ftill, if he had complied with a requeft I expreffed in my last letter, and favoured us with a correct statement of the proportionate mortality of infants of the above age fince the register has been more accurately attended to. A fingle fact, or a fingle figure, is worth a volume of obfervations that prove nothing.

provifions, and of the average number at that time fupported. From the inaccuracy, indeed, with which the accounts were, at this period, kept by an unfaithful fecretary, I do not apprehend Mr. WOOD knows correctly, or has any of the above data by which to determine, what was the weekly expence precisely incurred. The average number of paupers for the year 1790, we collect from his pamphlet, p. 78, was 340. But we can no where collect what was either the average number for the year 1791, or the aggregate annual expence for their fupport. If he be in poffeffion of thefe data, why has he not substantiated his affertion by producing them? This, indeed, was truly neceflary; not only as it would have terminated the difpute at a moment; but because, without fuch collateral evidence, it is ftill impoffible to believe but that he must be egregiously mistaken: for it is a price totally unknown in any other part of the kingdom where a diet equally liberal is permitted; and very confiderably lower, as I have already obferved, than what has occurred in the Shrewsbury Houfe of Industry itfelf at every other period whatsoever of which we have any account. Its prefent expence, he tells us, is 1s. 9d. for each inhabitant weekly: and, in the year 1794, the only period befides upon which we are able to calculate, and when, according to his last statement, the average number of paupers fupported was 364, and the annual fum expended in their provifions 17821.8s.gd.-the weekly expence of each could not have been lefs than 1s. 10d. I repeat it "according to his last statement:" for the statement advanced by Mr. Woop in the fourth edition of his pamphlet, p. 29, differs materially from that of his first letter inferted in your Mifcellany for November. In the former he tells us, dating this edition January 1, 1795, that "the average number of the poor in the houfe is 350:" while, in the above letter, he afferts them to have been at this time 364; a difference, indeed, which it is not eafy to reconcile.

As to the average expence of the poor maintained within the houfe, Mr. WOOD appears till tenacious of his former affertion, and continues to ftate it at 1s. 6d. for each weekly. He allows, however, that this is not the price at which they are fupported at prefent, nor have been for many years. But that fo far back as 1791 this was the precife average of the expence then fuftained, and which has fince been confiderably increased. Mr. WooD's pamphlet (its laft edition at leaft) does certainly include a range of time from December 1783, the period of the inftitution of the eltablishment, to the termination of 1794. But no notice is taken in any one page of any charge that has occurred in the arrangement of the diet, or its additional expence ; the only average ftatement we meet with being the above of 1s. 6d. weekly for each. Nor does he now afford us an opportunity of calculating for our felves, and thus corroborating the truth of fo extraordinary a pofition by an adduction of the annual grofs amount for

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